My Jewish Blood 

-Zvi A. Sesling

February 1, 2011

My Jewish blood boils

like oil used to feather

like flames from the stake

like the ovens of my family’s demise

My Jewish blood is not black

like hearts of bigotsl

like bullies in cities

like gate keepers of ghettos

like cold blood of Inquisitors

My Jewish blood, passed on from

father to son and daughter

from the Tribe of Benjamin

from the desert

from the River Jordan

My Jewish blood has been dispersed

into the soil of Russia,

into the rivers of France

into the synagogues of Poland

into the stained earth of Germany

My Jewish blood has been infused by my ancestors

who endured what I refuse to endure

who succumbed to that which I will not succumb to

who could not be free but left me freedom

Zvi A. Sesling has published poetry in numerous magazines both in print and online among them: Ibbetson St., Midstream, Poetica,The Deronda Review, Voices Israel, Saranac Review, New Delta Review, Plainsong, Asphodel, Haz Mat Review, Istanbul Literary Review, The Chaffin Journal, Ship of Fools, Chiron Review and Main Street Rag. He was awarded Third Place (2004) and First Prize (2007) in the Reuben Rose International Poetry Competition and was a finalist in the 2009 Cervena Barva Press Chapbook Contest. In 2008 he was selected to read his poetry at New England/Pen “Discovery” by Boston Poet Laureate Sam Cornish. He was a featured reader in the 2010 Jewish Poetry Festival in Brookline, MA. He is a regular reviewer for the Boston Small Press and Poetry Scene and he edits the Muddy River Poetry Review. He is author of King of the Jungle, (Ibbetson St., 2010). His chapbook Across Stones of Bad Dream (Cervana Barva) is due to be published in January 2011 and a full length poetry book, Fire Tongue, is scheduled for 2011.